Plot

The remaining seven couples have to include a lunge-step sequence in their routines, and the two couples with the lowest combined scores compete in a skate-off, but a last-minute twist affects the result and spares the judges from a vote.

Hosts Jamie Durie and Sami Lukis opened the show by saying that this week, almost all of the remaining couples had made it through without any further injuries. The one exception was Dermott Brereton, who had hurt his bicep a couple of hours before the show started, but had decided to soldier on with his partner Pam O'Connor and the other six couples.

They then introduced the panel of judges - Belinda Noonan, Mark Storton, Alisa Camplin, Jason Gardiner and Karen Barber - the people who had supported the seven couples throughout the week, former Winter Olympic ice dancing champions Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean, who took to the ice for a warm-up routine, and the seven remaining couples who would be skating tonight, and informed the viewers that the voting lines had now closed. This week, the couples were required to include a lunge-step sequence in their routines, and commentator Andrew Voss explained this element a little further.

The first couple to take to the ice tonight were Today co-host Karl Stefanovic and his partner Linda Aubrecht, who skated their routine to the Billy Joel song "She's Always A Woman". The performance revealed Karl's romantic and sensual side, and included a cantilever lift, stag lift and neck lay back. When it was over, commentator Andrew Voss took the viewers through a replay of the highlights of the performance, the couple had a chat with Jamie and Sami, then the judges delivered their verdicts, with Mark noting that the couple had a lovely flow and were trying good stuff, but their chemistry wasn't as good as it had been in previous weeks, being a little lacking - maybe if the button on Karl's shirt had been lower down, they might have received an extra half-point. After that, it was time for the judges to reveal their scores - out of a possible 6.0 points, Belinda scored them 4.5, Mark 3.0, Alisa 3.5, Jason 4.5 and Karen 4.5, for a total of 20.0 points.

Next to skate were former Australian Rules football player Dermott Brereton and his partner Pam O'Connor, who rocked together to "Crocodile Rock" by Elton John in a performance that included a pull-through and a rock 'n' roll lift. Afterwards, Alisa remarked that they lost focus a few times and that the low score she gave them was not quite what they would have deserved if Dermott had not been injured, but Karen was impressed by what they did with the last minute changes forced by his injury. Belinda scored them 3.0, Mark 2.5, Alisa 2.5, Jason 3.0 and Karen 3.0, for a total of 14.0 points.

Performing next were politician Jackie Kelly and her partner Pavel Aubrecht, whose routine, set to Gloria Gaynor's hit "I Will Survive", showed the audience how Jackie had survived several Parliamentray debates that often went into the small hours of the morning, as she gave some attitude in a performance that included a drape and two rotational lifts, including one in the horizontal position. In the judges' comments, Mark was impressed with the way that the couple worked together every time they performed, and Jason thought that overall, their performance this week was much better. Belinda scored them 3.5, Mark 4.5, Alisa 3.5, Jason 3.0 and Karen 4.0, for a total of 18.5 points

Taking to the ice next were former cricketer Michael Slater and his partner Anya D'Jamirze, who jazzed things up a little as they skated to "All That Jazz" from the musical "Chicago", flying through a routine that included a suspended moon walk, a rotational fish lift and three arabesque throws. When the judges delivered their verdicts, Belinda commented that the couple got through their footwork very well, but she thought that there was still more in there, and that the connection that Michael previously hadn't had with Anya was now starting to grow. Belinda scored them 4.0, Mark 3.5, Alisa 4.0, Jason 4.0 and Karen 4.5, for a total of 20.0 points, a personal best for Michael.

The next couple to perform were model Jake Wall and his partner Maria Fillipov, whose routine was set to KT Tunstall's song "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree". The routine, in which Jake showed off his chest again in a way the audience liked, included a split lift, cartwheel, snake lift, hitch kicks and a roll up lift into a piggy back. Afterwards, Jason was impressed by how Jake's consistency and excitement lifted the show, though he also nit-picked by saying that his armlines lacked strength. Belinda scored them 4.5, Mark 5.0, Alisa 5.0, Jason 4.5 and Karen 5.0, for a total of 24.0 points, another personal best and the highest score of the night.

Skating next were model Lara Bingle and her partner Matt Evers, who performed to Eva Cassidy's rendition of "Time After Time". Lara's graceful and timeless performance mesmerised the judges and audience alike with a suspended pivot, backbend lift, pair spin, fully extended overhead ballet lift and a low spin. In the judges' remarks, Alisa spoke for all the judges when she said that they were mesmerised by what was such a beautiful routine, and Karen noted that Lara was the youngest competitor to take the challenge on, and was "really serious about the game now". Belinda scored them 3.0, Mark 5.0, Alisa 4.5, Jason 5.0 and karen 5.0, for a total of 22.5 points

The final couple this week were Getaway presenter Jules Lund, dressed in a very fetching lycra outfit with blue sequins, and his partner Kristina Cousins, who skated to the James Brown hit "I Feel Good", putting on a fantastic show with an under-the-legs pull-through, a butterfly, a slide through the legs and a memorable ending in which Jules attempted a stiff lizard slide only to crash into the stage doors. When the judges delivered their verdicts, Karen was under the impression that the show was about entertainment, and that was just what Jules did - it wasn't the Winter Olympics, but it was a fantastic and entertaining show, and he had been a major part of that. Jason commented that Jules looked like squid ink linguine, but that the couple had definitely improved. Belinda scored them 2.5, Mark 2.0, Alisa 3.0, Jason 3.0 and Karen 4.0, for a total of 14.5 points.

Then it was time to tally the viewer votes, add them to the judges' scores and reveal who were the five safe couples based on the combination of the two. After they had been announced in random order, Dermott & Pam and Jacki & Pavel were left as the bottom two couples, who would have to compete against each other in a skate-off for their survival in the competition. Jacki & Pavel were the first to reprise their earlier routine, but when it came time for Dermott & Pam to take to the ice again, Dermott decided that his bicep injury made him unable to face another performance, effectively leading to him being eliminated this week and sparing the judges from a vote. Jamie and Sami then wrapped up the show by recapping the voting numbers for the remaining celebrities and informing the viewers that the voting lines were now open.